Darth Vader IS returning . . . in a prequel.

Darth Vader IS returning . . . in a prequel.

Historically, Darth Vader and Star Wars prequels don’t go well together, but maybe this will work. In any case, I would love to see more Vader, and I only hope he’s not as “behind the scenes” as the article suggests. Really, what’s the point to having Darth Vader in your movie and not using him?

In fact, I think this could be a backdoor way to bring Vader into the sequel trilogy. See if my logic follows. In Rogue One, the prequel, they set up some way that he could be brought back to life after his death, whether willingly or not, or perhaps they introduce some entity that would have a motive to bring him back, then, in Part Two of the trilogy, they give the payoff to that set up by actually bringing him back.

What do you think — possible? After all, JJ Abrams has gone on record saying that “Darth Vader IS Star Wars”, so you know that’s at least on his mind. And, in a broader sense, I doubt they’re going to be able to outdo Darth Vader as a villain. That’s an awfully steep hill they’d have to climb.

I’m not say I’d want this to happen, but it would be annoying to have them keep giving us villains in terrifying masks in an effort to ape Darth. If they could think of a compelling reason to reintroduce him into the story, and write him well, I’d rather just have Darth.

Check out the io9.com article HERE.

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Thoughts on Sense8, a new science fiction series on Netflix

Thoughts on Sense8, a new science fiction series on Netflix

Has anyone else seen Sense8? I just finished watching it the other day and found it a fascinating meditation on narrative, character and gender. If you enjoyed Cloud Atlas, Sense8 is probably for you. It is very much a continuation of those themes and that style of storytelling–different characters in different parts of the world, blurry gender roles and sexuality, shadowy forces out to get our heroes, etc. It’s a bit slow, but deliberately so, and beautifully realized. It’s not for everybody, but it is unlike any other television show that has gone before. I didn’t love it, and I didn’t devour it as eagerly as I do some other genre shows, but I found a lot to admire about it, even if I did have to look away during the mass-birth montage. It is certainly an epic piece of art, and kind of brilliant.

That said . . . to enjoy the show, you do have to have a strong tolerance for certain things, like gay stuff and a slow build-up, and that’s why I say it’s not for everybody. But if this is the sort of daring, quality stuff that Netflix intends on producing, I’m excited for what comes next.

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My epic fantasy “The Atomic Sea: Volume One” up for a possible book award!

My epic fantasy “The Atomic Sea: Volume One” up for a possible book award!

That’s right, the first volume of my epic fantasy / science fiction magnum opus is long-listed for a SpaSpa Book Award for the year 2014. I’m so excited I nearly spilled my coffee when I saw it.

To see it for yourself, check out the fantasy category here: https://bookHippo.uk/awards/longList2014.php#fantasy

 


BookHippo.uk - Award Winning Books

 

Wish me luck, guys! “The Atomic Sea: An Epic Fantasy / Science Fiction Series: Part One” could win a book award!

Check out the book here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QH3SE0C

What’s it about?

Imagine the epic fantasy adventure of “Lord of the Rings” blended with the cosmic strangeness of China Mieville or Jeff Vandermeer, and you’ll have some idea of the wonders and delights awaiting you in “The Atomic Sea”, a brand-new series by bestselling author Jack Conner.

 

A thousand years ago, the sea changed, becoming strange and unnatural, and in the process transforming the world. Now, with the Empire of Octung plunging the world into a terrible war, only one man — Dr. Francis Avery — and his rag-tag band have a hope of ending the chaos and, once and for a all, uncovering the mystery of the Atomic Sea.

 

Dr. Avery is out on the sea serving as the doctor aboard a whaling ship when a most curious patient is brought to him — a beautiful woman fished out of the Atomic Se, who has survived the horrors and poisons of the water, and who carries a secret that could either save the world or damn it. At the same time, murders have been occurring aboard the ship — there’s a spy for Octung aboard. If Avery doesn’t save the woman from the killer and help her achieve her ends, the whole world will be plunged into nightmare.

 

This is just the beginning of the incredible adventure waiting in “The Atomic Sea: An Epic Fantasy: Part One”.

 

If you enjoy original works of epic fantasy and science fiction, you might just love “The Atomic Sea: An Epic Fantasy / Science Fiction Series”.

 

 

 

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Okay, I couldn’t help it. I saw Mad Max: Fury Road again

Okay, I couldn’t help it. I saw Mad Max: Fury Road again

I saw “Mad Max: Fury Road” again yesterday, this time in 3D. I haven’t seen a movie twice in one weekend in awhile. It’s still amazing, although nothing can compare with that first-time jolt of adrenaline. One interesting thing I noticed that I missed the fist time — in the opening credits, Furiosa’s name appears on the same screen as Mad Max’s, but higher, although his name is on the left. But with hers being higher, they really do seem to have equal billing. Rewatching it, I was less bothered by Tom Hardy’s Mad Max voice, which seemed to vary in accent and inflection on the initial viewing but just seemed like his voice (however odd) on the second. Has anyone else seen it twice?

Mad-Max-Fury-Road-24

 

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Is Darth Vader alive in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”?

Is Darth Vader alive in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”?

So does Darth Vader come back to life for the new Star Wars trilogy? In the new trailer, Luke’s voiceover uses the present tense when describing his father. At first I just thought that since that passage is taken from Return of the Jedi, that it didn’t mean anything. But that LAST line, “and so do you”, indicates that the passage may actually be taken from the NEW movie. Which means that Luke considers Vader to still be alive. And then there’s that melted helmet. Why bring the helmet into this if Vader doesn’t actually show up? At the moment I’m thinking Vader DOES come back to life in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

And that rocks.

Star Wars rocks.

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On the new Alien/Predator/Prometheus franchise

HERE is great write-up about the new mega-franchise coming our way, and one I’m really excited about — the Alien/Predator/Prometheus franchise. I love the idea of them trying to Marvel Universe-ify these stories and I’m fascinated by how it will turn out. Could we really see three big budget sci-fi horror series produce regular entries with occasional cross-overs and team-ups (or whatever the equivalent would be)? My mind boggles. But it sounds so cool! I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop, though. For instance: “They’ll all be rated PG-13”! Please be good, please be good.

I love the Alien franchise quite a lot, or at least the first two, and I’m very fond of “Predator”. I kind of love “Prometheus”, with some caveats — I wish the main character was better-realized, for example. That said, there were two terrific characters in that movie that I’m thankful to have in my head: David and Charlize Theron’s character (I forget her name). Both actors were on fire in that movie and their characters were amazing (whether I can remember their names or not). I can’t wait to see David in P2.

There are a lot of ways these new movies could go bad, though. For example, allowing Alien 3 and 4 to be canon. As far as I’m concerned, they shouldn’t exist in the new universe. They were bad, and they killed off all the characters, or turned them into half-mad clones. “Predators” introduced some mythology that may not jive with the tone of the original movie, and perhaps it should be excised from canon. Predator 2 obviously establishes the link between the two franchises, Alien and Predator, although not perfect it’s a fun movie and can stay, as far as I’m concerned.

Anyway, this whole idea sounds like a blast, and I can’t wait to dive back into this universe . . . provided that shoe stays right where it is.

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